Hyderabad, Nov 3: In a significant political development, the YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) has chosen not to contest the upcoming Telangana Assembly elections and has decided to extend its unconditional support to the Congress party. YSRTP founder Y. S. Sharmila announced this decision on Friday, citing the imperative need to prevent a split in the anti-incumbency votes against the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
Sharmila emphasized the strong anti-incumbency sentiment against Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and expressed concerns that a division of the anti-BRS votes could potentially lead to his re-election as the chief minister. This decision comes after Sharmila had initially declared her party’s intention to contest all 119 seats in the Assembly.
The move to merge YSRTP with the Congress had faced challenges and failed to make any progress in recent talks. Sharmila acknowledged the difficulty of this choice, as she had a personal ambition to contest and become a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Many leaders within her party were also eager to contest.
However, Sharmila described this decision as a sacrifice for the people of Telangana, with the aim of not obstructing the Congress party’s opportunity to challenge what she characterized as autocratic and corrupt rule under KCR’s leadership.
She stated, “I believe that if KCR becomes the chief minister again, history will not forgive me.” Sharmila, the daughter of the former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), highlighted the support she received from Congress leaders who respect YSR. They advised her not to take any actions that could lead to the Congress’s defeat, particularly when the party is in a strong position.
Sharmila expressed her deep respect for Congress leaders and their role in her father’s political legacy, noting that Congress is the largest secular party. She revealed that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had extended their support and considered her a part of their family. In addition, numerous intellectuals and media figures had urged her to avoid splitting the anti-KCR votes, further influencing her decision.
